It my understanding from numerous Rover engineers that up until 1969 they
just built cars....... and sold them. Model year was a US DOT requirement
for importation. I have a 1959 built MGA thats registried at 1961, a 1960
Mini reg. as 1962 and a 1962 Mini reg as 1975. a 1969 Series IIA Land Rover
that is reg as 1969.
Everything else in the stable is matches the years and build dates....
Jon Nyhus
Max Heim wrote:
> That's a good question. I am sure your surmise is correct -- it was based
> on the American convention of new "models" (mostly just new sheet metal
> and/or trim) for each year, announced in the summer and going on sale in
> September. I couldn't say how much the British auto industry had adopted
> this concept for domestic purposes in the 60s (I imagine it is pretty
> much universal at this time). This convention was doubtless codified in
> various US forms and regulations, but I suspect it was the marketing
> conventions ("New for '62! with Extra Style and Pizazz!") that had the
> most impact on MG. The US was their biggest market by far, and if their
> US dealers wanted a "new" model every September in order to compete, by
> gosh they were going to give it to them. I imagine that as the production
> runs got larger, too, with the A and B, Abingdon itself felt it needed
> some kind of regular break or changeover date at which major
> modifications could be introduced into the line without unnecessary
> disruption. And this changeover, if you look at Clausager's timeline,
> generally occurred in late summer. I guess it would be tempting fate to
> change the production line in the middle of the Christmas holidays! which
> is where the calendar year would have it. So you can see why the Moss
> catalog list notes that "calendar year build dates are of historic
> interest only". For whatever reason, the model year rollover was sometime
> in the "previous" year, although it varied from May to December,
> apparently.
>
> One interesting point is that Clausager's timeline doesn't mention the
> concept of "model year" until the 1969 model year. Up to that point each
> change is just listed by date. Even the major change to the Mark II
> specification for 1968 didn't get this label, and in fact Clausager gives
> a different date than the chart in the Moss catalog (November rather than
> October). That aside, it would seem to be evidence for the idea that
> compliance with US regulations (which began in 1968 for the most part)
> had something to do with it.
>
> Perhaps someone who has one of the history of MG volumes might have
> further insight.
>
> Bullwinkle had this to say:
>
> >Years ago, I thought MG's went more by the model: K, J2, etc. The
> >year of production was not that important. Changes made were
> >noted by chasis not date of production. If one did talk about a
> >year, it was the actual year the car was made not the 'model
> >year.'
> >
> >When did this model year hype get going? Was it something we
> >Americans tacked on because of our domestic producers or when MG
> >had to comply with federal standards? Just curious.
> >
> >Blake
> >
>
> --
>
> Max Heim
> '66 MGB GHN3L76149
> If you're near Mountain View, CA,
> it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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